Boeing to bid for defence contracts in India

'We see $10 bn to $15 bn as addressable defence market in India by Boeing, said Mark Kronenberg.

Boeing on Tuesday said it expects to bid for defence contracts in India worth in the region of $10-15 bn in the next 10 years.

"We see $10 bn to $15 bn as addressable defence market in India by Boeing," Mark Kronenberg, Vice-President for International Business Development (Asia Pacific) for Boeing Integrated Systems, told reporters in Bangalore.

The market includes India's requirement for 126 multi-role combat jets, for which New Delhi is expected to issue a request for proposals to global firms shortly, he said.

Kronenberg said this contract alone is estimated to be worth between six billion dollars and $11 bn.

"For every one of us (competitors for the contract), it is going to be an absolutely critical competition. It will be fierce (competition)," he said.

Dan Korte, Boeing's Vice-President for Supplier Management and Procurement, said the firm would provide the Indian aerospace industry with a connection to its large worldwide supplier network.

"Boeing seeks to work with India's public and private aerospace industries to expand our supplier network. We are finalising our offset arrangement right now," Korte said.